NORTH Ribblesdale returned to winning ways at the third time of asking, with an emphatic display that saw them put Northallerton to the sword.

The early exchanges were even but Ribb began to exert their superiority at scrum time and with the lineout operating well it was only a matter of time before the first score came. Despite being penalised on many occasions, Ribb made momentum and from an attacking lineout hooker Adam Stubbs drove over from close range with John Davidson adding the extras.

A similar effort was rewarded when flanker Frankie Brown scored from ten metres for a converted try to give the home side a 14 - 0 interval lead.

In the second half the hosts exerted a more expansive gameplan, but two dubious yellow cards stifled their ambition somewhat. That said, left winger Josh Long and teenagers Callum Mathew and Oliver Drew crossed for tries in a dominant display that ended in a 33 - 0 victory for Ribb.

On another day the score could and maybe should have been more but given two recent home reverses a bonus point win was taken.

This week sees Ribb back on the road for the long trek to Wheatley Hills who despite their bottom two position have lost ten games by less than a score.

Elsewhere, North Ribblesdale Stags travelled to play an Ilkley side that are undefeated in over two years.

In a very tight game the lead see-sawed several times with a a late Ilkley try being the difference between two evenly matched teams.

Try scorers for North Ribb were Ben Mitchell, Ryan Hewitt (X2), Luke Kirkby, and Ryan Middleton. It was a very closely encountered affair with two teams showing what local sport at this level is all about, with Ilkley edging the contest 31-29.